Sliding-door lock.



P. L. HOFFMAN.

SLIDING DOOR LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31,1912.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

2 SHBETSSHEET l.

fimw'mw HTTy CDLUMKIIA PLANOORAI'H 50., WASHINGTON. D. c.

P. L. HOFFMAN.

SLIDING DOOR LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1912 Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ZI ENT=RZ D-JiTNEEEEE cnLuMmA PLANOURAIH CO.,\VASHINOTOH. u. c

TJNTTE SATES PATENT @FFTCF).

PETER I1. HOFFMAN, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE RICHARDS-WILCOXMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SLIDING-DOOR LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1'7, 1914:.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Pn'ren L. IIOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Sliding-Door Locks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in locks or latches for slidingdoors, and especially to that type of such devices wherein the bolt orlatching member proper is projected into locking position automaticallyby the closing of the doors equipped with such locks.

The especial object of the improvements which will be hereinafterdescribed in detail is to provide a lock of the class described ofsimple and economical construction, from which small and delicate partsare eliminated and in which the looking or latching action will becertain and positive.

A further object is to provide a lock in which the bolt will be entirelyretracted within the case when the door to which said lock is applied inopen position thus avoiding the objections incident to a projectinglatch or bolt.

A further object is to provide a lock of few parts and these of suchdesign as to make them strong and durable.

Having the foregoing, and other objects of general utility, in view, Ihave invented. the lock shown in the preferred and modifiecl forms inthe accompanying drawing, in which the several figures may be brieflydescribed as follows:--

Figure 1 is a view partly in plan and partly in section showing myimproved lock with the cover plate removed and with the bolt engagedwith the keeper or strike plate commonly employed with this type oflock; Fig. 2 is a view showing the parts disclosed by Fig. 1 but withthe locking member in retracted or inoperative position and the strikemember disconnected from the lock; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1but showing a modified construction of the lock especially in respect tothe bolt or latching memher the latter being shown in engaged or lockingposition; Fig. 4 is a view showing the parts covered by Fig. 3 in theirretracted or unlocked position; Fig. 5 is a detail in plan view of thelocking member embodied in the forms of my lock shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to the details of Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 6 indicates alock case, of usual form, from which a suitable cover plate has beenremoved, said case and cover having provided therein openings throughwhich access may be had for the purpose of operat ing the locking andtumbler carrying member 7, said openings being indicated by dotted linesin Figs. 1 and Q. The casing is also provided with a face plate 6 provided with a bolt passage 6 The belt carrying member of my lock consistsof two corresponding plates 7, 7, provided with bolt forming tongues 7projecting from the forward and lower edge of said plates, lugs 7"projecting upwardly at the upper and forward corners of said plates andwith countersunk recesses 7 so proportioned as to readily receive thetips of the fingers of a person operating said lock. The plates 7, 7,are spaced apart and rigidly connected together by a block 7 conformingin part to the outlines of the bolt portions proper 7", and by pins 7.The hollow bolt carrying case thus formed, is mounted to swing on apivot 7 fixed near the upper part of the lock easing (3. Said swingingcase is so arranged as to strike against a stop 6 in the rear and lowerportion of the casing (5, when said member 7 is in its retracted orinward position, as shown in Fig. 2. The plates 7, 7, are also providedwith key holes 7". The numeral 8 represents a spring, one end of whichbears against the rear wall of the casing 6, and the opposite endagainst a spacing block arranged between the plates 7, 7, and their lugextensions 7, and. is secured in such position by one of the rivets orpins 7 as indicated by dotted lines at the upper corner of the plates.The normal tension of said spring is exerted to throw the bolt case 7,7, outwardly or into locking position. The swinging movements of thelock case 7, 7, are permitted, or prevented as the case may be, by astop device consisting of a sliding bolt 9 formed with an inclined notch9, with a :li'orwardly projecting pin or cylindrical portion 9", andwith an inclined lug 9 at the rear of the notch 9. This member 9 isnormally held in its projected position, shown in Fig. 2, by anexpansible coil spring 11, one end of which bears against the bolt andthe other end against a pin 1.0 fixed in the casing 6. The pin 9 isadapted to work in an aperture 6 in the face plate 6 and is of suchlength as to project substantially beyond said face plate when the bolt9 is in its projected position. 12 represents a plate slidably mountedon a pin 12 fixed in the case walls, 7, 7, and fitting loosely the slot12 in said plate, and also having a slot 12 in its upper portion whichslidably engages the pin 12 fixed in said walls 7 7. This plate isfurther provided with a notched edge 12 adjacent to the key hole 7 andwith a shoulder 12 adjacent the pin 12". This shoulder is adapted to beengaged by the lower end of a series of tumblers 13 which are pivotallymounted on the pin 13 and are, yieldingly engaged by a spring 13*.

When a key adapted to engage said tumblers is inserted in the key hole 7the several tumblers will be pushed toward the rear of the case 6 andthus permit the key to lift the plate 12, and when thus lifted, theplate will permit the case 7 to swing inwardly until said case strikesthe lug 6 on the easing 6. Said arrangement of stop plate and tumblersis common to looks of the character to which my invention belongs and Ido not claim any novelty per se for such construction and arrangement.in fact, my lock may if desired be used without any key, or

may have embodied therein various forms and arrangement of tumbleroperating means.

The strike plate shown in conjunction with my improved lock, isindicated by the reference numeral 5 and is provided with the boltreceiving aperture 5*. This aperture, together with the passage 6" inthe face plate 6, are made sutficiently large to permit the free actionof the bolt 7" the latter moving in'the arc of a circle of which thepivot 7 is the axis.

It will be obvious that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig.2, which is the unlocked position, upon the pin 9" coming in contactwith a strike plate 5, the pin will be pushed inwardly against thetension of the spring 11 until the notch 9 is opposite the lug 7whereupon the spring 8 will cause the case 7, 7 to swing upon the pivot7 thus forcing the lug 7 into the notch 9 and holding the pin 9 in itsretracted position while the bolt 7 will be in its projected position.If the tumblers 13 and stop plate 12 have been moved by a suitable keyto the position indicated in Fig. 2, the op erator by inserting the tipsof his finger in the recess 7 in either of the plates 7, 7 may retractthe bolt case and when retracted to the limit permitted by the lug 6,the lug 7 will be disengaged from the notch 9 and thereupon the bolt 9will be pushed out wardly by the spring 11 until the lug 9 engages theend of the lug 7 and will thus prevent the action of the spring 8 abovedescribed.

Referring now to Figs. 3, a, and 5, it will be seen that the casing 6,face plate 6, and strike plate 5, are substantially identical with thecorresponding parts shown in the figures above described. It will alsobe seen that the bolt 19 with its notch 19, lug 19 and pin 19, areidentical with the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The spring 18 and post17 also correspond with the parts above described. In this form of myimproved lock, I have omitted tumblers or other key operated means, andhave shown the case as indicated by reference numeral 1 1 with therecess 1-1 to receive the fingers of the operator and have mounted saidcase on a pivot 1 1 fixed in the casing walls. Said case 14 is providedwith a curved slot 1 1 in its lower portion which receives a pin 14cfixed in the walls of the casing 6. Mounted between the opposed walls ofthe case lt is a bolt 15 of the peculiar construction shown. This boltis mounted on a pivot 15 is provided with a hook shaped end 15*, with anangular slot- 15 in its inner portion, with a notch 15 in its upper edgeand adjacent the tongue 15 and with a downwardly extending and somewhatpointed shoulder 15 Upon the rocking or swinging of the bolt case 14 onits pivot 14, the bolt 15 will not only move with the case 1stthroughthe are in which the latter operates, but will be given a verticalmovement due to the engagement of the pivot 1 1 with the angular wallsof the slot- 15, thus raising or lowering, as the case may be, saidbolt, and thereby moving it in a plane through which it will passthrough the strike plate opening 5*, but will also move it verticallyand thus bring it into the position shown in Fig. 3 in which it willpositively engage said strike plate and will be held against verticalmovement until the bolt case 14 is swung upon its pivot, by theengagement of the shoulder 15 with the lower edge of the aperture 5 asclearly shown in Fig. 3. Of course, the latching mechanism shown inFigs. 3 and 1, may be equipped with the same locking andreleasing'devices or tumblers, etc., shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will beobvious therefore, that the only difference between the two forms oflock herein shown is that in the one form the bolt is rigid with theswinging case while in the other form the bolt has a combined movementin part independent of the swinging case.

lax ing thus described my invention,what I claim as new, is

1. A look comprising an outer casing having apertures in its side wallsand face alatc, a case pivotally mounted in said casing, a hook-shapedbolt carried by said case and adapted to be projected through one of theopenings in the face-plate, and means for holding said case againstforward piv otal movement, said means comprising a pin slidably andyieldably mounted in said casing and adapted to be projected through theother opening in said face plate.

2. A loclc comprising an outer casing having openings in its face-plate,a case pivotally mounted in said casing and accessible and adaptable formanual operation, a hookshaped bolt carried by said case and adapted tobe projected through one of the openings in the face plate, and a pinslidably mounted in said casing and adapted to be projected tl'iroughthe other opening in said. faceplate, said pin and case having engaging'portions whereby the case will be held against pivotal movement when thepin is projected, and released when the pin is re traeted.

A look comprising a casing having hand receiving; apertures in its sidewalls, and bolt and pin openings in its face plate, a case mounted toswing within said casing, a bolt carried by said case and adapted to beprojected from and retracted within the walls of said casing, and meansfor holding said case against swinging movements, said means comprisinga pin adapted to be projected through one of the openings in said plate,and to be retracted by contact with a strike-plate, said pin and casehaving engaging members.

l. A look comprising a casing having hand-receiving apertures in itsside walls, and. bolt and pin receiving openings in its face plate, acase pivotally mounted in said casing, a bolt carried by said case andadapted to be projected from and retracted within said casing by themovements of said case, key-operable means mounted in said ease forholding it in locked position, and automatically operable means forholding said case in unlocked position, said automatic means operated byContact between said lock and a strike-plate.

5. A look comprising a casing having apertures in its side walls, a casepivotally mounted in said casing and accessible through said apertures,a bolt carried and operated by the movements of said case, a pinslidably and yieldingly mounted in and adapted to be projected from,said casing, interengaging means on said pin and case whereby the casewill be held against pivotal movement in one direction, and means on.aid casing for limiting the pivotal movement of said case in theopposite direction.

(3. In a lock comprising a suitable casing, a case pivotally andyieldingly mounted in said casing, a hook-shaped bolt carried by saidcase and adapted to be operated laterally and vertically through themovements of said. case, means for locking said case against pivotalmovement, said means adapted to automatically release the case upon theclosing of the door to which said lock is secured.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

PETER L. HOFFMAN.

\Vitnesscs RALPH BARNUM, HARRISON Frrol-r.

Gopieis of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of latentu, Washington, I). C.

